Page 50 of Wicked Player
Chapter Seventeen
All this talk about the dress has made me wonder if I should thank Colton. I haven’t so far, and perhaps that’s a little rude on my part. I take a seat on my sofa, laptop resting on top of my legs, and I fire off a quick email.
Dear Colton,
Thank you so much for the beautiful dress and heels. They fit perfectly! And btw, I am a size 7 shoe, for future reference. ;)
P.S. Should I return the other two pairs of heels to you?
Cheers,
Clara
I’m surprised when I receive his reply while I’m doing the dishes.
Dear Clara,
It was my pleasure. I can’t wait to see you in that dress. And noted about the shoe size. :) Don’t worry about the extra heels. Give them to friends if you like.
Best,
Colton
All night, I scramble to think of a friend with tiny size six feet who would appreciate the black sandals. And I wonder if Tina is a size eight.
* * *
Saturday finally rolls around, and Christian bounces on my bed like he does on most mornings. He gives me a kiss as I wake up. I’m groggy and disoriented, and when my eyes finally focus, all I see is his adorable face; those huge brown eyes and that mischievous smirk.
“It’s Saturday,” he cheers. “You said we would go to McDonalds.”
I smile, and check the clock. It’s about eight o’clock. “Not for another four hours, kiddo.”
Tonight is the night. I’m already full of jitters. I just know I won’t be able to focus all day. I desperately need to keep busy to distract myself.
“How about we make pancakes, and then tidy the house?” I suggest. “Then we can go to the park, and then McDonalds.”
He grins. “Sounds like a plan,” he says, borrowing one of my common expressions. It’s kind of odd having a mini-version of yourself, a little person who looks and acts just like you. I love every minute of it. In spite of the many challenges I face as a single mom, there has not been a single minute when I regretted having Christian. He’s my everything.
* * *
As planned, we have a busy morning. I’ve ordered a small fries and chicken McNuggets because I’m so nervous about tonight, I can barely eat a thing. It doesn’t quite make sense. Last time was my first time at one of Colton Rossi’s parties, and I wasn’t too nervous. I was just biding my time, looking to make some cash. But there seems to be more at stake now. I’m emotionally invested. As much as I would like not to be, I’m in deep.
We spend the afternoon watchingFinding Nemoand sucking on Skittles. And when five o’clock comes around, my heart starts to beat a little faster. It’s time.
It’s time to get ready.
First, I quickly get Christian’s dinner ready and feed him. He knows all about Mommy’s big night out, and he’s looking forward to spending the night with Nicole.
Next, I put on the black panties, Spanx and push-up bra. Since it’s a little chilly this time of year, I slip on a lacy black garter belt and some thigh high sheer stockings. I haven’t worn them in years, not since Keith. He’s the one who bought me that stuff years ago. He had a fetish for stockings and garters. It takes me forever to figure out the clasps, and I’m just about to give up when I finally succeed.
I then spend the usual two minutes brushing my pin-straight hair and adding a little shine serum. It’s no use trying to curl it because it just won’t cooperate. Next, I meticulously apply my make-up. I do the whole lash-curling smoky-eye thing Cassie taught me. I choose a sexy red lipstick to match the dress. And finally, the final touch, my mother’s wedding necklace and earrings; a simple small diamond on a gold chain and matching diamond studs. I’ve already painted my nails a nude color.
I stare at my reflection, and I’m surprisingly happy with what I see. It’s been forever since I’ve looked at myself and found myself pretty. In fact, I can’t remember if I ever did. I take after my dad, and was always the ‘ugly duckling’ in the family, not that my dad was homely. He was a stocky man with straight brown hair and a roundish face. My mother, on the other hand, was a tall slim blonde with blue eyes and pretty lips. And of course my two sisters are both the spitting image of her. All she gave me were her lips.
My self-esteem was already low when I met Keith. He was the first boy who really paid attention to me. At first, I reveled in it, but it soon faded. Before long, he became verbally abusive, mostly when he drank. That’s when he would called me hurtful names. Chubswas a favorite nickname when I couldn’t lose the baby weight. He thought it was funny. He had no clue how hurtful it was. But I took it all in stride, because after all, I had no self-esteem. Even when he laid a hand on me, I let it slide. It wasn’t until he was rough with Christian, who was only a baby then, that I finally grew a spine. I kicked his sad ass out on a Saturday afternoon, and I still remember what his last words were.Good luck finding another man, chubs. No one else will ever want you.
Those words have haunted me ever since, and perhaps that’s one of the reasons I haven’t put myself out there. I keep saying it’s because I’m too busy being a single mom, but I realize now that’s just been an excuse. It’s time to get back out there.
